DUBLIN, May 25 -- This country's second biggest union, the Workers Union of Ireland [WUI], with a membership of 30,000, ranging from factory workers to airline pilots, has decided to affiliate to the Irish Labour party.
The decision will almost double the number of trade unionists affiliated to the Labour party and is sure to have an effect on other major unions not yet pledged to support Labour.
Heretofore the only real liaison between the Labour party and the major unions has been the economic committee comprised of Labour deputies and leaders of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions acting from time to time as a national council of Labour.
Now it is felt that the decision of the WUI has almost sealed the issue and that other unions will feel compelled to follow suit.